


A partner to...

by Moonwanderer



Series: Hollywood [1]
Category: Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
Genre: Character Study, Coming to terms with own feelings, Friendship/Love, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mentions of past things, Mild Language, Partnership, Protectiveness, Short One Shot, Slice of Life, relationship analysis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:35:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23551666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonwanderer/pseuds/Moonwanderer
Summary: ...kill and die for.
Relationships: Cliff Booth & Rick Dalton, Cliff Booth/Rick Dalton
Series: Hollywood [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1695067
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	A partner to...

**Author's Note:**

> My first fic in this fandom.  
> I rather enjoyed the movie, and loved the relationship between these men. Such a sweet pair.
> 
> I am not a native speaker, so mistakes may be found.  
> I do not own the characters, etc., etc.,...

It’s such a lovely mid-spring morning, and they are out in the garden again. Rick is lazily sprawled out on a sunbed, the warm Sun dusting gold on the fine hairs of his slightly soft stomach. Cliff is in the pool, his blonde mane like dark amber, coating his hard, charming features. They rarely speak but don’t really need the words now, even Rick is quiet as he bathes in the Sun.

Cliff’s eyes, as always, are alert and they do observe, gaze tender on his partner’s relaxed form. Resisting the urge to splash the unsuspecting man, Cliff swims a lap instead. Heavens, it always stuns him how freaking much he loves this idiot! Rick is his once-in-a-lifetime partner, his buddy and greatest friend, a friend to kill for and to die for, truly.

To kill for....

His thoughts are soaring away to linger in the past. Cliff was a soldier, he killed before, both in the battlefield and after, and he is always ready to kill if necessary. To kill or to be killed, they say, and it’s not that hard for him which option to chose. To guard his friend, to keep him safe has become his number one priority during the years spent together. It didn’t cause him problem to eliminate the bastards who were so dumb to broke into their home that night, and he knows he would kill anybody who comes as near as threatening his partner’s safety again.

To die for though...

Not that he is a coward, quite the opposite, he is brave as a lion, but the thought of dying leaves a nasty aftertaste in his mouth. He is used to getting hurt, can bear the pain, not afraid to initiate –and finish- a fight, will go against the whole world for his right, but when the real chance of ending up dying during the process appeared, it always made him consider another option instead. Not when it comes to Rick, as it seems, for he was willing to die there on that fateful night in his partner’s stead. And hell, he would do it again and again, take a bullet or another stab for him, to give his own life for that spoiled brat, cause he knows now, that he loves him more than he fears death.

Seemingly dozing but not for real, Rick is awake as one can be, thoughts swirling around in his head like a fucking tornado. Why does he have to remember that horrible night in such a lovely day as this, he doesn’t know but he remembers. And well, to be honest, if Cliff had not been there, he couldn’t enjoy his cocktail now, that’s for sure. Cliff, this lovely bastard, for Rick is willing to die and kill in a heartbeat.

To die for...

Deep under the narcissistic and selfish outer, Rick is a hopeless romantic, you know, the flowers-and-chocolate type. He loves to be pampered, to be praised, to be treasured, and Cliff is the man who is so willing to grant him these. How could he not love him for that? Every time Cliff got hurt during stunts, or picked him up when he was too drunk to walk let alone drive, or let him cry on his shoulders, Rick thought „I would die for you” and he truly means it. He would happily give his own life in exchange for the man’s who loves him like no other could.

To kill for though....

Taking someone’s life was not something Rick was forced to do, fortunately, and he didn’t serve in the army like his buddy did. Sure, he did some killing in his movies but that’s not the same! And he never thought he is capable of it, murdering, at least until that fucking hippie bastard was running through the window with a fucking gun and Rick burnt her to crisps. In self-defense, obviously, still it felt awful. But then he saw his partner lying lifeless with a fucking knife sticking out of his fucking body and all of his previous doubts and worries evaporated in raging fury. Then and there, with blood still on his hands, Rick realised that for this man he would do it again and again, butcher and slaughter without...

His trail of thoughts is interrupted when water splashes on his warm, Sun-kissed belly, burning like hell. He gasps and jerks, glass falling out of his hand, and Cliff, the bastard, is laughing his ass off in the pool.

"You fucking fuck!" He shouts and jumps after him to drown the jerk, and for a moment he wonders what kind of paradox would it be if he kills the very one he would be ready to kill for.

**Author's Note:**

> Please, feel free to leave a comment!  
> Negative comments or comments of displeasure are also welcome, you can help me improve by pointing out my mistakes.


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